As a business owner, especially one who designs and sells patterns I have to be one to two seasons ahead at the very least. So that means that in July I am thinking about Christmas. It's very hard to do....then August comes and you are only one season ahead so it becomes a little easier. Around Halloween you start to think about it......Christmas music. When we were stationed in Leavenworth, Kansas there was a radio station that started playing Christmas music the day after Halloween.
I knew it was wrong! What would people think? You can't listen to Christmas music on November 1st!! So then I became irritated.....how dare them play Christmas music this early. For pete's sake, can't we get through Thanksgiving first? Don't rush it! But secretly I couldn't wait!
So, I've been designing Christmas patterns for three months and then it comes.......the day after Thanksgiving......ok, it is acceptable to play Christmas music!! I'm glad I waited, because it's special. I have a wide variety of Christmas music on my playlist. I love everything from Blake Shelton and Reba McIntyre's "Oklahoma Christmas"....and I am not a Country music fan at all.....to my all time favorite, Enya's silent night sang entirely in Latin.
When the music fills the air your whole body just feels it and you can't help but smile. When I walk through the house I can hear my boys discussing their favorites. My gruff, senior in college son Jeremy admits that "Believe" by Josh Groban is his favorite and he will sing it to the top of his lungs when it comes on. My oldest son pretty much loves everything we played while they were growing up, but I can often hear the Grinch movie soundtrack playing from his room.
It just makes you smile doesn't it!? You associate the songs again....with memories. Every time an Elvis song comes on I can't help but think of my parents, huge Elvis fans. When I hear Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel singing "Baby, it's cold outside" I think of my Father in law, he use to love Leon Redbone. When I hear "Carol of the Bells" the David Foster version, which can only be listened to at the highest volume, especially that end part, I think of my Mother in law. Again, I smile.
But then there the songs that make you cry. Thankfully they usually come on when I'm by myself because the ugly cry comes on, like when you hear the children sing "Let there be peace on earth" or Enya's "Journey of the Angels". It's not that you are sad, it's just the music is so beautiful that it makes you cry. It's like that episode of Everybody loves Raymond when Rays' wife, Debra has a good cry for no reason....we just do it.
The memories come on strong when you hear the Church hymns like "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and you remember when you use to get all dressed up to get to church. We were usually late so had to stand in the far back, sometimes so far away we could not even see the altar.
Or when you hear "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas"...where did that one ever come from? My boys loved it when they were little. Or how about Dean Martin's "Marshmallow World"...I think he may have had a few cocktails when he recorded that one! Then, the Christmas song of an unlikely duo.......
....ahhh such a good one! There's just no way around it....Christmas music is wonderful. When it comes right down to it, there really aren't that many songs so when I'm working and have my Pandora playlist on I might hear Silent night 10 times in one day, but it's all good! However, I do have 2 young ladies who help me out and I think they have had enough of it already. But, then I think of all my faves and realize, how could they possibly understand the memories and meaning that are attached to these songs. They haven't established 48 years of memories yet. When they are older they will realize the importance of these songs. And after all, it's only December 7, so.....
Come back tomorrow and I'll be showing you the photos from our Christmas Open house. And don't forget to listen to that Christmas music!
Until next time.....
5 comments:
You sweet Julie are making those young ladies memories for them right now .... they just don't know it yet .... but some Christmas future they'll hear the songs played today, and be reminded of your shop and the wonderful memories will flood their minds. Play on dear one!!
It is never too early for Christmas music. Beautiful music is just that beautiful music! I listen to it year round. I let iTunes add it randomly into my music everyday.
Ah, thank you Myra, I think you are right. They will fondly look back at their days at The Old Tattered Flag when they hear a certain song. :)
I agree, it is the most beautiful music!
I love listening to Christmas music! I have Time Warner Cable ~ they have music on demand. When there is nothing on TV, I listen to the Christmas music channel ~ Sounds of the Seasons. Two of my all-time favorite songs are 'Do You Hear What I Hear?' (doesn't matter who sings it!) and 'Mary, Did You Know?' by Kenny Rogers.
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